Outdoor fabric is judged in August sun, not under showroom lights. Direct light flattens fine detail, bleaches pale colors in appearance and eventually in fact, and the furniture it covers is usually seen from ten feet away. Add rain, mildew and sunscreen, and a pretty print has a lot to survive.
The directions below respect that. They are forecasts to watch, not measured results.
Wide stripes keep winning
Awning stripe is the classic outdoor pattern: even bands of color and white or cream, once cut for canvas awnings and cabanas. It is also the safest choice for sun, because stripes are bold, simple and read from distance. The direction to watch is width and palette. Expect stripes wider than the narrow ticking of recent years, three to six inches (7.5 to 15 cm) on cushions, in softer colors such as faded teal (#4E7C7B), clay and sage.
Pinstripe patterns sit at the other end of the scale, and they are useful for outdoor accents such as pillows, tablecloths and umbrellas, when used in a tonal pair of colors. Read the stripe pattern design guide for how width and spacing change the mood.
Palm leaf, tonal
Palm leaf prints are close to a cliché on patios, so the opportunity is in restraint. Palm leaf patterns in two or three close greens, or in sand and white, look more like architecture than holiday decoration. Large leaf shapes of about 12 inches (30 cm) fit cushions and umbrellas well. A tonal version, such as olive on a slightly lighter olive ground, also disguises sun fade.
Rattan, cane and woven-look prints
Natural rattan furniture is part of the outdoor look, and prints that borrow its structure, with woven bands, diamond lattices and cane-webbing grids, give a space texture without adding another color. Rattan patterns printed on cushions can echo the frame of a chair or table. Keep the weave bold: thin interlaced lines fall apart in bright light.
Where you want the real thing, a woven fabric in a similar structure behaves differently from a printed fabric, and it is worth knowing which one you are designing for.
Earthy colors replace the brights
Pool-blue and lime-green have long been outdoor staples. The shift to watch is toward earthier outdoor rooms that look like an extension of the living room: terracotta (#C0683F), olive, ochre, warm sand and a deep ink blue. This follows the wider move toward warm palettes discussed in the home textile trends forecast.
What the sun and weather change
| Factor | Design consequence |
|---|---|
| Direct sun | Delicate fine lines vanish; choose bold shapes and mid-tones |
| UV exposure | Pale and bright colors may shift; test swatches |
| Distance viewing | Motifs of several inches read better than ditsy prints |
| Moisture | Fabric must dry; confirm treatments and finishes with your supplier |
| Cleaning | Expect scrubbing; avoid prints that depend on fragile surface effects |
Ask your mill or printer whether the fabric is solution-dyed or printed, and which finishes it can document. Never claim fade resistance or water resistance you cannot back with your supplier's information.
Which products to design first
Not every outdoor product needs a pattern. A reasonable starting range is seat and back cushions in a stripe, throw pillows in a palm or rattan print, and a table runner or umbrella in a tonal pattern. Keep the palette consistent across all of them, so the pieces mix when the furniture moves.
Print or woven?
Many outdoor stripes are woven from dyed yarn, whereas intricate patterns like palm leaves are usually printed. If your product sits in the printed category, the guide to types of fabric printing methods gives an overview of the options. Your printer can advise which methods and fabrics suit outdoor use.
Start with the stripe
Describe It in Pattern Weaver takes a prompt in your own words, such as "wide faded teal and cream awning stripe", and the seamless tile arrives in about 20 seconds. New accounts get 5 free credits, so you can see a stripe before you talk to a mill.
Explore related pattern styles
